3/10/2010 10:54:00 PM Spanish Census banner comes down after complaints
Courtesy illustration This image matches the Spanish-language banner that was hanging across Gurley Street in Prescott this past week.
Matt Hinshaw/The Daily Courier A sign promoting participation in the U.S. Census hangs over Elks Hill in downtown Prescott Wednesday evening. City officials removed a similar census sign written in Spanish that was hanging about a block to the east.
PRESCOTT - A Spanish-language banner encouraging people to participate in the census is gone from downtown Prescott after at least four dozen citizens and two city council members questioned its appropriateness.
The banner spanned Gurley Street next to Washington Traditional School, assuring Spanish-speaking people that the U.S. Census would protect their personal information for 72 years and noting that the census helps get federal money for local hospitals and streets.
A similar banner in English continues to hang over Gurley Street about a block farther west on Elks Hill. It does have two words in Spanish that translate to "make yourself count."
Council members Steve Blair and John Hanna were among those who questioned the need for the banner in Spanish. Blair said he received about 20 calls from people questioning the need for the sign, and Hanna said he fielded about 25 from unhappy people.
City of Prescott Executive Assistant Patty Crouse said she also fielded five or 10 calls from people angry about seeing a banner in Spanish near the entrance to the city.
Hanna said he personally didn't like the sign, either.
"If you're here in the U.S. and can't speak English, you need to go home," Hanna said, especially people who are here illegally. "If you're counting them ... you're saying you'll do whatever you can to cater to their needs."
Blair said he mainly wanted to know the need for the banner, and didn't realize that the city gets $12,000 in federal money over the next decade for every 2010 resident regardless of whether they're here legally. He also noted that English is Arizona's official language.
Hanna said he'd rather see illegal residents leave than get the extra money.
"They're here and using up a whole lot more than $1,200," said Hanna, a former Prescott police officer.
Blair's comments on his local radio show March 3 sounded stronger than his comments to The Daily Courier.
"I went to city hall and I came unraveled today, asking the question, 'Who authorized that, why did we authorize that and what reasons do we have to advertise in Spanish when we have visitors coming into this community and the first thing they see is the Census 2010 sign directed totally at the Spanish community,'" Blair said on his show.
When The Daily Courier asked about why he was concerned about visitors seeing a sign in Spanish, Blair explained, "It would seem like we're a Spanish community rather than an English community," and most visitors are not Hispanic.
The $995 sign went up March 1 and was down on March 5. City Manager Steve Norwood said it was his idea to take the sign down, because he believed more effective ways are available to reach the Spanish-speaking community.
"I think we replaced it with a much-improved system," Norwood said.
The city now plans to take advantage of an offer from the U.S. Census, which offered to provide T-shirts, hats and flyers to give away door-to-door in a central section of the city that has a high Latino population. Volunteers from AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) will conduct the campaign.
Census officials said that area is one of the hardest to count in the state. It generally encompasses the Dexter neighborhood east of Miller Valley Road, north of Gurley Street, west of the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Reservation and south of Whetstine Avenue.
Blair said he helped census efforts in the Dexter neighborhood in 2000, and noted that many of his wife's family members are Hispanic.
"I have nothing against Spanish people," he said.
In 2000, only about 400 Hispanics returned census questionnaires from Prescott and that had to be less than the actual number, said Ryan Smith, a census liaison for the City of Prescott. The census reported that 8.2 percent of Prescott's population was Hispanic or Latino.
The U.S. Census provides $3,000 to every municipality to promote the census. Prescott used its federal census money on free library bookmarks and magnetic signs for city vehicles.
Prescott also is putting $10,000 into the campaign. The city used it to buy the street banners as well as conduct radio, TV and newspaper ad campaigns.
Smith noted that a city council proclamation in June 2009 (before Blair and Hanna served on the council) proclaimed that the city would be "placing special emphasis on enumerating members of population groups traditionally undercounted." That generally includes illegal immigrants and homeless people, Smith said.
Blair also commented on his radio show March 3 about the effort to count homeless people.
"Communities have to do strange stuff like counting every single crevice that may have a homeless person living underneath a tent," he said.
Posted: Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Article comment by:
Kent Paul Dolan (xanthian)
@Confused Student:
Confused indeed.
The sign to which objection was made was entirely in Spanish.
The sign with "two Spanish words" was the English sign.
It's a shame that people living in the US, and especially in the once Spanish owned territories of the Southwest US, are so ignorant of other languages that they are frightened, confused, panicked, and angry, when faced with something written in some language other than English.
As for "scientific papers", you must not have encountered many.
They are usually first written in the author's native language, and then, if there is a demand, translated into English.
To be a math PhD in the US, for example, it is pretty much mandatory to be able to read the technical languages of Germany and Argentina, hotbeds of advanced math, and also to be able to read French if time allows.
There's nothing particularly challenging about learning a language, I've learned four beyond my native language (Latin, Spanish, German, and American Sign Language).
What is challenging is finding time to use all those languages regularly so that they don't slip away.
xanthian.
Posted: Sunday, June 06, 2010
Article comment by:
Proud American
For all those screaming about how "Arizona used to be Mexico before America stole it from us", SHUT UP! You stole it from Native Americans first, and refused to honor Texas' rebellion, and then just got pissed when we had a better army and forced you to sell those territories. As Joe said above, if you want to live in this country, BECOME A CITIZEN and EMBRACE IT, don't try to subvert it into something it isn't. This is the land of opportunity, and you should be embracing those opportunities, not just trying to cash in on the government!!
Posted: Friday, June 04, 2010
Article comment by:
Confused Student
Um. I agree that the way this entire affair has been handled is insensitive and degrading toward Spanish-speaking people. Especially since the majority of the sign was in English, with just a little tidbit in parentheses to help those who might have immigrated only very recently. But I think it is still very practical to have a "standard" language for a country. I think in science, it would be very confusing if all the published papers were in English and French and German and Chinese and lots of other languages. It makes sense to have a single language, so that scientists worldwide can communicate effectively with one another. The fact that the language happens to be English does not reflect any intrinsic value of the language. In the same way, it makes sense to have a "standard" language for signs and such in the United States. Of course I think people should not be forced to learn this language. They should have a right to an interpreter, particularly for important things like taxes and legal issues and hospital care. No one should have to give up their culture. But it is not as if people who learn English as a second language immediately forget their original language. They still have that language, with all its cultural richness but they also have the new "standard" language, which is very practical. I mean, no one has put up a fuss about using Arabic numerals for math. Why not use Chinese numerals, or Mayan numerals, or Roman numerals? I think the real problem here isn't that it's unreasonable to want public signs to be in a single language. It's that angrily taking down a dual-language sign and shouting "learn English!" is incredibly offensive and rude.
Posted: Friday, June 04, 2010
Article comment by:
C O'Kelly
Arizona is messed up. I just read an article about a school that had to whiten the skin on a mural depicting minority students because of complaints about that. English is not the official language of the United States. If you think that the native tongue should be the language of the original Americans, than we should all be speaking Native American tribal languages. Immigration is the only thing keeping this country's population growth from going below zero, and I think most Europeans wouldn't meet the standards we've set for Mexicans (but not for Cubans...) had they been faced with this at Ellis Island. All of the old people and stubborn fools that are so conservative and xenophobic should realize that you've already lost. Our generation will not tolerate this bigotry (be it racism, homophobia, xenophobia, religious intolerance, etc) that you display so willingly. Get over it, you all need an education or at least some intelligence. Read a book, go to school....don't just watch unqualified idiots on Fox. I m about to graduate college, this is not what I want to come into. Read the Constitution. It'll do wonders.
Posted: Friday, May 14, 2010
Article comment by:
east coaster
Requiring people who come to live in the U.S. (to be clear: not tourists--RESIDENTS) to learn to speak and write English is in no way abolishing their culture, which thrives within households and communities. America is a patchwork of many cultures and languages. However, having bilingual (English/Spanish) communications (signs, telephone prompts, etc.) caters to people who do not learn English, and that is creating a nation divided by people who don't know English and people who don't know Spanish, with bilinguals or multilinguals caught in the middle. I say "KUDOS" to those who speak multiple languages! How smart, worldly and forward-thinking. However, if you only speak ONE language in this country, it has to be English. BTW, not all Europeans are bilingual many, esp. those outside major cities, speak only their native language.
Posted: Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Article comment by:
Ed Hartwell
The U. S. Census is a complete waste of your time. Everything needed is available from research firms, or the Govt already has it on your Income Tax form. I, for one, refuse to participate and challenge any person from the U. S. Government to make me do otherwise.
It was 20 years ago that I worked for the U. S Census Bureau. We called it the Senseless Bureau, as it was run by complete incompetents (They too, were all Temporary Workers) , who hired every unemployed (and un employable) person in town. Nothng changed, I can tell over the years.
These employees basically did nothing right and quite a bit of them did not even show up for work.
I think it is time we did something like rebuild the roads, or hire more good teachers. This Census business really does nothing for average Americans and is basically a waste of your time.
The blab about getting something from the Govt for doing it is just more blab. Let's bring our troops home from around the world, saving a whole lot of money in the process.
Ed Hartwell U. S. Veteran U. S. Voter U., S. Citizen
Posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Article comment by:
Jacqueline Smith
Wow Arizona is a beautiful state but geez people!.The whole southwest was Mexico at one point in time. Please get over yourselves. America was brown, and Spanish speaking before you showed up. There was no Ellis island for us, you guys moved in took our land and now you need to take our language because you are too insecure about yourselves that everyone must be just like you. Having lived in Europe it was nice to be among grown ups for a while, everyone there speaks 3 to 4 languages and they seem happy and proud of their country no problem.So lets just call this what it is, Racism.
Posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Article comment by:
Stephanie S
Does everyone forget that Arizona USED TO BE MEXICO? If China ever calls in our debt, how are all these English only speakers going to feel when English is outlawed or looked down upon? Ha! The ability to speak another language is a sign of intelligence, some countries, especially in Europe speak 5 or more languages. English only proponents, especially in a state named ARIZONA come off as ignorant and mean spirited. Don't speak for me, you embarrass me!
Posted: Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Article comment by:
Prescott Citizen
Prescott, please stop calling yourself "Everybody's Hometown" when it is clear that you would really like to exclude certain groups from living here. This is the CENSUS, not a political campaign! The purpose is to objectively count, not to assert ideology! Let me ask, how does it affect you personally to have a banner in Spanish? This is Arizona, and people expect a bilingual atmosphere. If I were a tourist, it would make me happier to know that I was visiting an inclusive destination. I fully support the banner, and would like to see it put back up.
Posted: Sunday, March 21, 2010
Article comment by:
common sense conservative
Joe. I apologize...it is now your country, too!
Posted: Sunday, March 21, 2010
Article comment by:
common sense conservative
Joe: Thank you for your service to our country. Most self-righteous Americans don't realize that an everyday citizen learning to speak a foreign language to welcome visitors to this country actually impresses the visitor. They view a government doing it as foolish ... even the ones who are exploiting our system.
Posted: Sunday, March 21, 2010
Article comment by:
lainie smith
I have been reading through all the comments on the Spanish banner being removed & several people described well & seem to share my personal feelings on this issue. When people came to America in the past, many through Ellis Island, they came here to become part of America, (remember the phrase 'Land of Opportunity'?) & also retain the cultural identity they brought with them. They were expected to learn English & become contributing members of American society & they just wanted an opportunity to do that. My grandmother came here through Ellis Island & one by one brought her (some were older than she was) siblings to this country by working as a seamstress in NYC. They all learned English & strove to became citizens & every one of them contributed positively to this country, as have so many others who did the same then & since that time. if you want to live, work & raise your family in this country, learn English, respect your new country & integrate yourselves into it. I resent pushing a number on the phone if I want to hear information in English & I resent being spoken to in Spanish by an employee when I am shopping in a department store & stop putting up bilingual signs pretty much everywhere. (FYI: I do not live in a border city, if that is even relevant). Joseph Dolai said it well what other country can you find where people fall backwards over themselves diminishing their own culture to accommodate others? What happened to the concept of integrating into our society instead of taking it over? It really isn't the fault of the people who come here & take advantage of what is offered to them, but responsibility lies on the shoulders of those who are allowing & sometimes promoting it. I am currently looking at places to relocate & one reason Prescott is on the list is that people seem friendly but with ideas that I am more comfortable with than those in my present location.
Posted: Sunday, March 21, 2010
Article comment by:
V Putin
Joe. Your President's name is OBAMA. It has only one M. And of course I like the rest of your story.
Posted: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Article comment by:
Joseph Dolai
I am sorry to say but have a short fact to show. When I came to America as an Immigrant child in 1962 I was not asked to fill out documents in Spanish, I went to school and was not asked to study Spanish or any other language but I had to struggle and learn English and the best part is that none of the American children taught me any foul and curse words or aggressive behavior, then I moved to Bridgeport Connecticut a dominant Spanish school and my cultural education began in Spanish as well and the use of adjectives which make grown men blush and children excited because such language is offensive and cool? I went into the Military and was not asked to fill out documents in Spanish only English and made me feel that I am serving my English speaking country which has adopted me from a Communist government and I was proud to serve MY Country and proud I was in American Uniform and I did not hang another foreign flag in my yard or street and spitting on the American flag. I am now old enough to speak several languages including Spanish and have lived in many countries in the world and most countries laugh at the confusions America is creating internally. I can tell you that there is no such a great sense of false and misguided liberalism anywhere in other Countries as there is here in America, maybe outside of Germany or France but that only happens a few times a year and then they strike. In other countries if you hang out a flag then you are offending that country's pride and most likely you will be in jail quicker than you can say Pelosi or Obamma. Everything you do will be through interpreters only and no local or national budget to help you get through life at the expense of Government Budget. In some USA friendly countries if you can't speak the national language then you can not even send your children to local schools and will be excluded from many things. In the social and Family-cultural education of the Americans we are so forgiving that we are so over-trying to be accepting that we forgive the offenders and leave no rights to the victims. What is it Americans do not understand that this is America and there are social courtesies which must be given to the country you live in, first speak the language, then try to write it, then obey the laws or change them but to dishonor the country in any way or form should only be a direct route to a ticket out and paid by the family and not the Government. What rules say that taxpayers must use their hard earned and already misused monies to pay for unwilling to speak American people to adjust and ride for free. I repeat this twice, in most countries!! If you can not speak the national language then you will not eat. If you can not speak the national language then you will not eat, is that clear enough? Do you really think you are serving America by force feeding people who don't care enough to learn the national language or some others that even want to see the destruction of America? Why don't you just donate you money to Anti-American dictators and Drug Lords, this will help you a lot.
Posted: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Article comment by:
Arizona Native and Hispanic ....
Hannah: "If you're here in the U.S. and can't speak English, you need to go home," Isn't that just the right message to send our Tourists!?? Hannah, Next time you run for any type of office, I will VOTE elsewhere :]
Posted: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Article comment by:
Rational Lady
I do believe to legally be in this country, you are required to learn the official language first, which is ENGLISH. If you don't comprehend English well enough to read a simple sign, I don't care what country you've come from or what other language you speak, kindly go on home. And if all of you want to go on the basis of "racism" for taking down this sign, well what about the discrimination shown towards French speaking people, or Russian speaking people or Chinese speaking people or German speaking people or the hundreds of other languages out there? What about them? Don't they have the right to have their native language displayed up there right along with Spanish if we're going that route? Kind of silly isn't it? ENGLISH is the language spoken in America, so publicly endorsed signs and documents payed for with tax dollars should be in English. If I went ahead and moved to Mexico, I wouldn't expect to see signs or documents in English, I would learn how to speak their native language, Spanish, first. Now if a PRIVATE organization or any of you as individuals would like to pay for and put out literature or signs in different languages, be my guest. But if it's taxpayer dollars printing it, it should all be in English. Tough luck to those who are here who can't understand our language. I wouldn't go to your country and expect you to accommodate my native language just because I'm there.
Posted: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Article comment by:
english speaking in america!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I firmly believe this was the right move by officials. It's about time someone stands up to the illegals, i mean everyone is so scared to offend them for telling them to become more americanized!!! English is our language in America, if they want to speak spanish then go to mexico. Do you think it's right that when i call to pay my bills, I have to press "2" for english? If some officials dont stop this it will get out of hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Posted: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Article comment by:
Rich Kramer
Do any of you know who/when/where the term Hispanic was coined? You show your ignorance by using that term. BTW all you who check a race box on the census will be formally recorded as racists. The Nazis in Germany had 32 racial classifications. The US in the 21st century have half that. So it is half as racist. What has race to do with apportioning funds and representation in Congress?
Posted: Saturday, March 20, 2010
Article comment by:
Think Before You Act
I am wondering how our "friends" or residents of our two Spanish speaking Sister Cities feel about the actions of our elected officials. Also, did not these council members take an oath of office, which includes upholding all the laws of The United States. So not only did they most likely offend our "sister" friends but have now almost encouraged Spanish speakers to not abide by the law and fill out the census.
Just an fyi-Prescott used to include Spanish classes in their school system, starting from 4th grade through 8th, I had it, so did Blair and Hanna. Neither have ever changed their smug attitudes. Finally good to see a little less of the "Good Old Boys-small town small minds" attitude coming out in public. Good luck!
Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010
Article comment by:
Susan Griffin
I think this is a very poor way for people to learn about Prescott. I was born and raised here and have also lived in the "poor" part of town if you want to call it that- for my WHOLE LIFE!!! I love Prescott. I think these council members need to stop whining about a spanish banner and start concerning themselves with real issues that the town has, like providing more youth organizations and opportunities for low- income families.
Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010
Article comment by:
Chuck Wow
Most of the comments shown here are idiotic.
This has nothing to do with bigotry and racism as most of you insist.
This is a language issue plan and simple.
Let me remind you that English is the official language of Arizona.
http://www.us-english.org/view/13
Posted: Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Article comment by:
Sad 4u
This is really quite sad that these white politicians can't see past their nose to include other cultures-only when there's a "festival"-which I'm sure they have tried to make money off of somehow or other-or they wouldn't let it happen!! When are we going to see that diversity is RICHNESS in soul-NOT A WEAKNESS!! Yes- "our grandparents" may have "learned English", but at what price??? Losing their culture and truly their identity into a scalding melting pot and for what???? To say we are "cookie cut-outs" like everyone else!!! Live a little! Get your feet wet in the culture of diversity! Maybe you might learn something and be better for it!! This is precisely why the economy here is going down.....and the EU and the Euro are going up-in Europe there are 22 different countries working together for a COMMON GOAL!!! Go figure-maybe collaboration works??!! Learning English is not so simple, STUPID!!! Especially when words in English don't all originate from the actual English language, but from other languages: for example "crochet" (pronounced crow-shay) is actually a FRENCH word! There are many others whose roots are from other languages! Anyway-GET A GRIP because soon the MAJORITY will be the MINORITY!!! (pobrecitos....)
Posted: Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Article comment by:
Meghan, also and AZ Native D
Way to represent Prescott in all its tolerant glory Hanna. I would like to see a follow up article about this issue. Blair and Hanna should be required to step down after these ridiculous and malicious comments. Are these the kind of people you want making decisions for you? The banner should be placed back immediately or the slogan of Prescott as "everybody's home town" should be changed because apparently it's only for the "white people."
Posted: Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Article comment by:
Rowan Rain
Everybody’s Hometown? I don’t think so. Once again, I find myself embarrassed by my so called representatives. I was proud to see an inclusive banner.
I am not Hispanic. I’m Irish. My ancestors were some of the folks who, shunned throughout the East coast, took part in the Oklahoma Land Rush. They claimed a bit of rocky dirt and made it work for them. That opportunity is not available these days. We Anglos used it all up and now deign to judge those who flee to the US for similar reasons.
I can tell you, my great grandparents didn’t sound anything like I do. But they worked hard and over a few generations, we became a seamless part of the American culture. You can say that the Spanish speaking population does not have similar goals. But you discredit yourself with your generalizations. And I’m ashamed. I’m ashamed of those who believe not only that we must hold tenaciously to and smother what should be a dynamic culture. I’m saddened that they feel believe they represent my interests.
